A wide variety of dispensing systems for reception in the working space of a household appliance is known from the existing art. Such household appliances are, for example, cleaning machines, washing machines, or dishwashing machines. The document WO 02/077353 A1, for example, describes a dispensing system of this kind for washing substances.
In the context of such dispensing apparatuses, a basic distinction can be made between autonomous dispensing apparatuses and appliance-coupled dispensing apparatuses. An “appliance-coupled” dispensing apparatus is understood for purposes of the invention as a dispensing apparatus that can receive and/or emit signals from or to the household appliance and that is operable only in a household appliance specifically designed for the dispensing apparatus or is operable only as a dispensing apparatus specifically coordinated with a particular household appliance.